Parent Question – Why did God make Satan?

Tough Questions – Week 5

Why did God make Satan?

This parent question is what students will be ready to ask you on March 10.  The lesson topic for the night will answer the question, “Why is there evil in the world if God is supposed to be loving?”  Students will ask you this question:  “Why did God make Satan?”  The other, unspoken part of this question asks why God would create Satan if He knew all the evil Satan would do.  There is a very appropriate, Biblical, theological answer to this question.  That answer goes like this:  “I don’t know!”  There are several answers that we may speculate upon regarding this question, but ultimately we do not know exactly why God created Satan.  There is a benefit to the discussion that this question will bring up.  We are not always provided with all the answers to our questions, and that is okay.  Here are some passages on Satan:

Satan was certainly part of God’s original creation.  Colossians 1:16 says, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”  This would certainly include Satan as one of the original angels.  Nehemiah 9:6 also speaks to this.

Ezekiel 28:12-19 records what most believe is the account of Satan’s original status and fall from grace.  This was a judgment spoken against the King of Tyre at the time, but the language suggests that it is also speaking of Lucifer.  Another passage on Lucifer’s fall is Isaiah 14:12-15:

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

You said in your heart, ”I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

We do not know why God chose to create Satan, even knowing what evil he would cause.  The Bible does, however, help us understand that our thinking is limited.  God’s thoughts are much greater than our own.  Isaiah 55:8 says, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.”

We might not have all the answers, but we can trust God based on His Word and His ultimate plan.  Revelation 20:2 & 10 record the ultimate defeat of Satan.  God has a plan and deserves our trust.

Parent Question – Is it wrong to believe in the paranormal?

Tough Questions – Week 4

Is it wrong to believe in the paranormal?

The students will cover a question during their lesson time, “What is the point of Christianity?”  While the focus of that lesson covers what Christianity is, the parent question is designed to answer part of what Christianity is not.  The question that students will come home to ask parents is this:  “Is it wrong to believe in the paranormal?” Below are some notes on this subject.

First, there is an issue of semantics.  Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines paranormal as “not scientifically explainable”[1].  Christianity, then, technically falls under this paranormal category as something that is not well beyond the realms of the abilities of science to explain it.  It may be worth you asking the question, “How would you define paranormal?”  It is good to simply help students understand the meaning of the word for future reference.  The question, however, is assumed to really be geared toward what most people think of when they hear the word paranormal:  ghosts, psychics, and witchcraft.

Fortunately, while this question covers a very broad subject range, the Bible is very clear on the proper stance on all of it.  The Israelites were commanded not to have anything to do with the occult, witchcraft, omens, or any type of divination or spell-casting (Deuteronomy 8:11-13).  2 Corinthians 11:14-15 reminds us that Satan and demons disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.  This makes sense, when other demonic belief systems attempt to portray themselves as peace-loving and beneficial.  Whether people engaged in those practices are aware of it or not, there are demonic forces behind those systems; these could include psychics, palm readers, mediums, or other religions such as Wicca.  The New Testament records an account of a fortune teller having an evil spirit cast out of her in Acts 16:16-18.  Just because something works (i.e. fortune telling or a pagan spell) does make it right.  There are demonic forces at work to deceive people and lead them astray.

Ghosts are worth separating in the discussion.  Many people swear to have seen ghosts or their evidence – often referred to simply as paranormal activity.  Some point to a story found in 1 Samuel 28, where King Saul urges a medium to communicate with the deceased prophet Samuel.  Looking at this story they try to say that there are ghosts and that the dead can be consulted through divination.  There are a couple of principles to realize about this.  The first is that the story is very obscure and does not provide a completely clear picture of what is occurring.  It is clear, though, that the medium is indeed consulting with the spirit of Samuel, perhaps even allowing Samuel to speak through her own body.  The second point to note is that this is clearly referred to as wrong in this passage.   While we may not be able to understand everything in the story, and while we may realize that the story mentions something that is possible to do, we must grasp the fact that this was against God’s law.  Aside from Matthew 14:26 and Mark 6:49, when the disciples thought Jesus was a ghost as He walked on the water, the concept of ghosts is fairly absent in Scripture.

Areas associated with ghosts or haunting are also typically tied to a grisly story where something very evil happened.  It is safe to understand that demonic spirits will associate themselves with areas where evil acts happened.  The Israelites were deported under God’s judgment partly to give the land rest from the evil that happened there.  See Leviticus 26:32-35 and 2 Chronicles 33:21 to learn more about this.  The point is that specific portions of land are personified to a level beyond what most consider.  It is possible that there is a similar association with demonic activity in ghostly form.

What is the final explanation on the subject of ghosts, then?  Just as we are to avoid anything related to demons or witches or mediums, we are to avoid ghosts as well.  As mentioned, some might have an experience that they hold strongly to, associating it with the ghost of a loved one or something they saw with their own eyes.  The only good explanation is that demonic forces are behind ghosts, and they would have the ability to be very convincing.  Hebrews 9:27 declares that after death comes judgment, and Paul states that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).  So the answer to the question, or at least the intent of the question, is “yes”.  It is wrong to believe in any paranormal activity beyond the realms of Scripture and what it commands.  It is right to recognize the existence of evil, supernatural forces, and these should draw us all the more closer to God’s Word.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 states:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We have everything we need in God’s Word!

Parent Question – What is Good? How do you know it is good?

Tough Questions – Week 3

What is Good?  How do you know it is good?

This parent question will be sent home with students on February 24 to ask you as parents.  This is part of our theme called Tough Questions, where we will answer actual questions from students.  The lesson time will cover the question, “How do I know if it’s okay to get a tattoo…or do other things?”  During the lesson time we will discuss not only the topic of tattoo but also a decision-making guide for any difficult decision (or ones where Christians are divided).  We will send students home to ask you this question:  What is good?  How do you know it is good? Keep in mind that this is an actual question asked by one of our students.   Below are some notes on the subject to help better prepare you for the discussion.

The world has different standards for determining what is good in life.  People tend to have an in-built sense of wanting that which is good; it’s just that their opinions vary widely.  For example, there is the “If it feels good, do it” mentality.  People who have this mentality move from one thing to the next, doing whatever feels right to them.  It is a moment-by-moment way of life, and ultimately it leaves a sense of emptiness.  Why is that?  Because in between the moments of feeling “good” – whether it’s partying, an immoral lifestyle, or general selfishness – are those normal moments to which that the person has become desensitized.  In other words, the “highs” make the normals seem really low.

Another philosophy of the world applies a general set of principles to live by in order to be a “good person”.  These principles include accepted societal rules, such as do not steal or kill, love your family, get a good education and then career, and have a happy, healthy life.  These are not bad principles, and they are generally taught in the world around us, especially the public school system.  There are virtues attached to them; virtues like perseverance, dedication, respect, tolerance, vision, etc.  There is nothing wrong with these principles or virtues.  The truth is that they are mostly found in the Bible.  The only shortcoming is that the world does not tie these good things to the Word of God.  This can leave room for doubt as to their importance, or it can even cause students to question why the Bible is necessary if the world is teaching some of the same things anyway.  Looking around in a pluralistic society reveals several religions (or non-religions) that have a set of morals.  The reality is that without the proper grounding to the principles, people stray from them.  This fact is prevalent in our world, as people violate the morals for their own selfish ambition or greed.  The harder society tries to push the morals and virtues, the more they are violated for lack of a true grounding to their roots.

So where does the Bible fit in to the picture?  It reveals the Source and Standard for what is good and why it is good.  Here are some of the truths we learn from Scripture:

• God alone is good.  He is the Source of all that is good (1 Samuel 2:2 ; Psalm 34:8)
• People are not good. (Psalm 14:1-3)
• God’s Word gives us the true standard for what is good. (Exodus 201-17; 1 Timothy 1:8)

In looking at what is good, it is easy to get caught up simply in a right vs. wrong situation.  God wants us to consider good something more.  He wants goodness (in general and His own goodness) to be a core focus of our lives.  Here is what Philippians 4:8 says:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Good, positive things are what we should focus on in our lives.  The Mayo Clinic released a report on positive thinking and its link to our health.  Here is an excerpt:

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

It’s unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.[1]

The world recognizes the benefits of positive thinking, but the Inventor of the concept placed these truths in His Word and wired us to live this way.  We should use the Bible as our standard for what is good, and we should focus our attention on good, noble, praiseworthy things…ultimately these will draw our attention to Jesus Himself!

Barn Night Canceled

Tomorrow’s Barn Night (Feb. 19) is canceled. Unfortunately, the weather prevented us from getting the word out as much as we would have liked, so we have decided to cancel.

Don’t worry though, because we have another Barn Night coming up soon: Friday, March 19 from 7-9:30pm.

Parent Question – Could God make something more powerful than Himself? Could He destroy it?

Tough Questions – Week 2

Could God make something more powerful than Himself?  Could He destroy it?

This parent question will be sent home with students on February 17 to ask you as parents.  This is part of our theme called Tough Questions, where we will answer actual questions from students.  During the lesson time we will investigate the question, “What does it mean that God’s Spirit hovered over the face of the waters?”  The focus of this lesson is that God brings order out of chaos.  We will send students home to ask you this question:  Could God make something more powerful than Himself?  Could He destroy it? Below are some notes on the subject to help better prepare you for the discussion.

The first part of this question relates to God’s power – How powerful is He?  Scripture teaches very clearly the concept of God’s omnipotence – He has unlimited power.  Below are a few references that demonstrate this.

• Genesis 17:1 – God almighty (This is the Hebrew term you may have heard, “El Shaddai”)
• Jeremiah 32:17 – Nothing is too difficult for God
• Matthew 19:26 – All things are possible through God[1]

So if God can do anything could He actually make something more powerful than Himself?  When thinking about this, one could almost wonder about this concept of omnipotence and if there is some sort of logical problem with it.  The truth is that the question itself is the one that has some logical shortcomings.  The idea of God making something more powerful than Himself (or destroying it) is nonsensical.  Here is a way to relate this:  If you were asked to draw a square circle, you would probably reply that the request makes no sense.  God in all of His attributes is above nonsense.  So the answer to the question is neither “yes” nor “no”.  The question itself is where the problem lies.

During this discussion, another question might come up related to God’s power.  It could be phrased similar to, “If God can do anything, then can He sin?”  The assumption is that if God is omnipotent, then He can do absolutely anything, so He must be able to sin.  In reality, sin goes against everything that God is; it reveals a lack of God.  For God to sin would mean that God would have to deny Himself and diminish who He is, becoming less than Himself.  Therefore God cannot sin…He is actually too powerful to sin.

Thank You, Shoveling Helpers

For over 3 hours this morning we had a crew of shovelers (armed also with 2 snowblowers) helping us get the van out of all the snow.  Thank you, Crockers, Jon Egeland, Kyle Kilgore, and Karen Freeman!  If it weren’t for these helpers, we wouldn’t have a way to get to Winter Breakout.

Winter Breakout Update

Hi Parents/Students,

**Update**  The travel ban in Frederick County will be lifted by noon tomorrow, so the retreat is officially on!  We will still be struggling to shovel the church out tomorrow morning.  We are working on a notary.  If you need to finalize any payments or form processing, arrive by 3:00.  Otherwise, we will see you at 3:30!

I received the following email a few minutes ago about the retreat.  The bottom line is that the retreat may be off, but we won’t know until after 9:00am tomorrow morning.  Sorry for short notice on this.  If it is cancelled, we will call you.  If it is still on, we will post that info on this page.  Thanks!

Hi Everyone

Here is the update. In talking with Doug at Skycroft the road into Skycroft are clear and  Skycroft will be ready for us. We have one delima though.

Frederick county has put a state of emergency for the county which basically, makes it illegal to drive on their roads unless your are an emergency personnel or one of their people because of the state of the roads.  At this time this state of emergency is still in effect. We don’t want to cancel if the roads will be fine tomorrow and the state of emergency has been lifted.  So we will let you all know by e-mail at 9:00 AM tomorrow what is happening.

Sorry for any inconvience this may be causing, but this is a very touch decision to make.

Thanks

Becky, Kevin and Phil

Snow Shoveling helpers needed!!

20 students and 5 adult chaperones leave tomorrow in the afternoon for our Winter Breakout retreat. Unfortunately, the plow that normally takes care of our lot (and does an awesome job – thanks, John!) had a breakdown and needs repaired. It will be fixed and the lot plowed in time for Sunday, but not in time for the retreat departure tomorrow. Would you be willing to help?

There are 2 key spots to shovel: The entrance to the church and the driveway of the youth house. The entrance to the church was plowed but experienced some heavy drifting. The youth driveway has not been touched, but the church van is stranded there. We need to shovel enough out to drive the van out.

If you think you can help – great! Karen and I plan to get to the church at 10am. Feel free to join us then. If you are free at a different time, you could always show up to shovel for a little while and then leave when you need to. Questions? Email me.
Thanks!

Kevin

Winter Breakout

I have been in contact with the retreat planners.  At this point, the retreat is still on as scheduled.  If there is a change, we will contact you.  Feel free to get in touch with me via email or by cell if you have any questions or concerns.  Thanks!

Kevin

Tough Questions Series Overview

Below is our official schedule for the Tough Questions series.

**Update** Due the the weather-related cancellation on 2/10/10, our schedule has changed.   The schedule below reflects this change.

Tough Questions Series Schedule